Bali is a popular holiday spot for Kiwis. Photo / 123rf
Bali is a popular holiday spot for Kiwis. Photo / 123rf
A family of four travelling to Bali could save $210 from October if plans proceed to drop the visa requirement, something experts are confident will happen when the next government is sworn in.
Visitors heading to Bali currently have to purchase a Visa on Arrival (VoA), which allows them to stay for 30 days, with the option to stay a further 30.
The visa is simple to get, as people can purchase it at the airport upon arrival or apply online before departure. Visitor visas cost Rp500,000 ($52.17) and last 30 days, with an option to extend it for another 30 days.
However, some tourists were allegedly getting scammed by fake online websites, which charge inflated prices and occasionally don’t even provide a visa in return, news.com.au reported back in May 2023.
If you recall a time before the visa, you’re not imagining it. In 2016, the visa requirement was dropped but when Bali reopened its borders after lockdowns in February 2022, it reinstated the VoA.
In the past, the Indonesian ministry has dropped the visa requirement when it wishes to increase visitor numbers and this time is no different. The fee of $50 may feel marginal in the scheme of a holiday budget but for families, it can easily add up to hundreds of dollars.
Minister for Tourism and Creative Economies, Sandiaga Uno, first proposed dropping visa requirements in 2023.
There has been little news from Uno since that initial announcement. Local media claim tourism industry experts such as the president of the Indonesia Institute, Robbie Gaspar, believe the changes will happen around October when a new government is sworn in.
“We understand that Indonesia’s Minister for Tourism, Sandi Uno, will recommend that some 20 countries, including Australia, will be given visa-free entry into Indonesia, including Bali, before October when the nation’s new president is inaugurated,” Gaspar told the Bali Sun.
Gaspar said it would make it cheaper for people to visit, so they expect to see visitor numbers jump.
Experts anticipate the visa requirement will be dropped in October. Photo / 123rf
Visitors will still need to pay the new Tourism Tax Levy fee of Rp150,000 ($14) upon arrival at the airport, but 20 countries including New Zealand, Australia, the US, the UK, India, France and Germany could skip the visa fee.
In 2023, Bali hosted almost 5.3 million foreign tourists, up 144% from 2022, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics for Bali. The busiest month for arrivals was July, August and September when travellers are looking to escape the cold of winter.
Kiwis are returning to Bali quickly but not yet in pre-pandemic numbers. In 2023, 105,000 Kiwis travelled directly to Bali, more than double in 2022 (38,800) but still around 3000 fewer than in 2019.
Meanwhile, more than 1.23 million Australians visited Bali in 2023, up 83,300 from 2019.
For now, tourists must continue to apply for a visitor visa either at the airport or online and budget for the cost. However, those planning a visit for Christmas or summer holidays may end up with some spare money to spend if the visa requirement is dropped.
